Former Vice President Joe Biden will escort Sen.-elect Doug Jones (D-AL) to his swearing-in ceremony on Wednesday morning, according to CNN and local reports from Alabama.
While the state colleague typically accompanies a new senator to the swearing-in ceremony, Jones did not ask Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) to attend, AL.com and WAAY TV reported Tuesday evening. A Jones spokesperson did not immediately return TPM’s request for confirmation.
The former Democratic Vice President is a family friend of Jones’ and campaigned for him during his Senate bid in October. Following a contentious special election to fill Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ seat in the Senate, Jones was officially certified as Alabama’s next senator last Thursday, despite an 11th-hour attempt by his opponent — former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore — to block the certification of the election.
Jones’ ceremony is scheduled for noon on Wednesday and he plans to do his swearing-in on a personal family Bible, according to AL.com.
Okay, Mr Jones, now please do NOT disappoint Joe…
I like this.
I’m sure it’s nice to go places with family friends, but also there seems to be some sort of message in this.
Junior Senator, yes, not under any obligation to seniority, however.
I’m hoping 2018 breaks lots of traditions in red states.
I hope that Sen. Jones called Sen. Shelby and explained that he was asking Vice-President Biden because of their long friendship, and not to slight his fellow senator.
The Senate needs (much) more collegiality, and senators from a state should work together when that’s possible. (Besides, Shelby helped Jones get elected, if only indirectly.)